Sectional barrel.



W. C. NOBLE & B. W. CORSON.

SECTIONAL BARREL.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY I'. Isla.

l ,278,495. Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

'f z @W e III WILLIAM C. NOBLE AND BLAKE W. CORSON, 0F RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SECTIONAL BARREL.

Application filed July l', 1916.

To ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, IVILLIAM C. NOBLE and BLAKE lV, CoRsoN, citizens of the United States, and both residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invent-ed "certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Barrels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in barrels, casks, hogsheads and similar receptacles.

In the following description we have referred to the invention as embodied in the form of a sectional barrel, and where we employ the term barrel, we wish it to be understood as including casks, tierces, hogsheads and other similar receptacles or retainers.

In the present instance it is our purpose to provide a barrel composed of a plurality of parts or sections which are adapted to be assembled to form a complete container these sections being capable of being readily disassembled or dismantled when desired, and when so dismantled they may be nested or packed so as to save space or room in storage and also to reduce the expense ordinarily incident to the shipment or transportation of empty barrels.

Still a further object of our invention is the provision of a sectional barrel equipped with locking or fastening devices by means of which the barrel sections may not only be united or connected in assembled condition, but these locking` or fastening devices also serve to draw the abutting faces or edges of the barrel sections into a relatively close engagement thereby insuring tight joints or seams, so that the entrance of an excessive amount of air and moisture into the barrel through the joints or seams is prevented, and consequently the contents of the barrel, especially when of a perishable nature, will be protected against deterioration due to atmospheric influences.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a barrel of this class which is so equipped with locking or fastening devices for uniting the sections that when the members of each fastening device are arranged in coperative or interlocking relation, the barrel sections will be maintained in their proper position relative to each other so that movement of the barrel sections, relative to each other will be prevented.

Furthermore we propose to provide a sec- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 107,013.

tional barrel wherein the heads, constituting the top and bottom portions of the barrel may be readily and quickly placed and locked in assembled position in the body of the barrel or unlocked and removed therefrom as occasion may warrant.

`With the above recited objects and others of similar nature in view, our invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accon'ipanving drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of a barrel embodying the invention, a portion of the barrel being broken away to show one of the locking or fastening devices for a head of the barrel.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view showing the bottom head of the barrel in its locked or assembled position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of one of the locking or fastening members for uniting the barrel sections.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal view taken on the line 411-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the barrel sections as they appear when taken down'and nested or packed for shipment or storage.

Fig. 7 is a view of the bottom portion of a barrel partially broken away to show the bottom head of the barrel as supported on hoops.

Referring' now to the accompanying drawing in detail the letters A and B indicate the two sections constituting the body of the barrel, while the top head or cover thereof is indicated at C and the bottom head is shown at C. In the present instance we have shown the body of the barrel as composed of but two parts or sections, but it will of course be understood that it may be made up of any number of sections. The individual sections are formed in any of the well-known ways, each section carrying its individual hoops or bands, as at l, secured to the sections in suitable manner as by rivets or screws 2. The ends of the hoops terminate at the longitudinal edges 3 of the sections, so that when the two sections are assembled, as shown in Fig. l, with the longitudinal or meeting edges of the sections in abutment or contact, the ends of the hoops of one barrel section will substantially abut against the ends of the adjacent hoop of the other barrel section.

In order to unite or connect the two barrel sections A and B in the assembled position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 we employ a series of locking or fastening devices, each of which is indicated as an entirety by the letter D, and as these fastening devices are all similar in construction and operation, a description of one will sufiice for all.

.llach locking or fastening device D coinprises a latching member E and keeper member F as best shown in Figs. 3 and l. Each latching member E preferably comprises a metallic strap 4 which gradually widens toward one end,V said stiap being adapted to be secured to the barrel section by means of rivets or screws 5, the widened end of this latching member E. which is the end nearest the longitudinal edge of the barrel section is bent outward or off-set as shown at (S, and is provided with a notch 7 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.

Pivoted to this oft-set end G` at 8, are the spaced parallel plates 9, having a latching bolt 10, passing transversely therethrough. The keeper member F, in the present instance, comprises a strap 11 fastened to the opposite barrel section from that carrying the lat-ching member lll, the securing means for the keeper strap being in the nature of rivets, screws or the like, shown at 12. This sti'ap 11 also widens toward the longitudinal edge of the barrel section to which it. is attached, and is off-set as at ,13, the off-set end of this strap 11 lying in substantially the sameplane as the ofiset end G of the strap l. The off-set portion 13 of the keeper strap is provided with an open segmental slot 1st which is adapted to receive and retain the latching bolt V10, while one end of the olf-set portion 13 of the keeper strap is provided with a wedgeshaped or tapered tongue 15 which is adapted to fit into the correspondingly wedge-shaped or tapered notch 7 of the strap member 4:, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

From the above description it will be seen that when the two barrel sections A and B are assembled, as shown in Fig. 1, the tongue 15 of the keeper strap will fit into the notch 7 of the alining or adjacent latching strap and thus the two barrel sections will be locked against relative movement in the direction of the longitudinal aXis of the barrel. The latching plates 9 may now be swung upon the pivot 8 to bring the latchingbolt 10 into the keeper slot 14- and as this slot varies from a true are inscribed with bolt S as the center, the inward movenient of the latching bolt in the slot acts to draw the ends of the strap closer together and consequently the closer the meeting edges 3 of the barrel sections will be brought into contact or abutment. Furthermore' it -at the'bottoin, the middle and the top of theV barrel body.

The heads C and C of our sectional barrel are also capable of being connected to and disconnected from the body section of the barrel suitable fasteners being employed for this purpose. We may employ any desired number of these fasteners which are shown at Gr, and as allthese fasteners v'are alike in construction, a description of one will be suiiicient.

Referring especially to Figs. 2 and 5, the

numeral 16 indicates a supporting plate which is fastened to a bariel head by suitable screws, rivets or the like shown at 1I, the

outer edge of this plate being preferably y curved or rounded as at 18 to correspond to the curvature of the periphery of the head. A screw shank 19 is carried by this plate and projects through an elongated slot 20 iu a sliding bolt 21. Thisbolt 21 is preferably in the nature of a flat strip oi plate the inner end of which turned up as at 22 to forni a finger grip. A suitable nut 23 and a washer 24: are employed for the purpose of retaining the bolt in'its proper sliding'position on the supporting plate 16. The opposite end portion 25 of this bolt is adapted to 'be projected through a locking slot 26 cut in the chime 27 of the barrel, this plate also passing through an alining slot Q8 in the chime hoop of the barrel and thence through a slot 29 in a small plate 30 riveted to the hoop. lt will be noted that when theA sliding bolts or lplates 21 are shifted outward the proper distance they will be projected through the alining keeper slots therefor as above described, and the head thus securely retained in position relative to the body of the barrel, the sliding movement of each sliding bolt being of course limited by the end walls of the slot 2O striking the screw shank 19.

From the` above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing the construction and manner of employing our invention will be readily apparent. The two sections A and B of the body of the barrel are first assembled and locked or united, by means of the locking devices, heretofore described, and the barrel is `then filled with the produce such as tobacco or the like. After the barrel has been filled the head is placed in position and fastened by means of its fasteners as heretofore mentioned.

It will be noted that the produce may be tightly packed within the barrel by exerting suitable pressure upon the head to torce the latter downward vinto the barrel body thus, at the same time bringing the head into proper position so that the sliding bolts et the fasteners G may be projected through the slots intended to receive the same.

In order to dismantle the barrel it is only necessary to release the locking devices ot' the body section of the barrel and the fasteners for the heads thereof, so that the barrel maybe taken down, and the sections then nested as shown in Fig. 6. One head then may be superposed on the other so that the entire barrel may be compactly stored in a relatively small space.

le wish it to be further understood that if desired either or both of the heads may be fastened to the body of the barrel by other means than those shown herein. F or instance reterring to the modification shown in F ig. 7, the head C ot the barrel is shown as resting upon and supported by a pair of hoops, as shown at 1, it will ot course be understood that in the case of the sectional barrel, each hoop of the pair l is made up ot two semi-circular sections, which may be secured to the body of the Ibarrel -at the inner wall thereof, in any suitable manner. F urthermore it' desired one head may be provide-d with the fastening device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, while the other head may rest upon the inner hoops or the like.

Vhile we have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of our invention, we wish it to be understood that we do not contine ourselves to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration. as modification and variation may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the Scope ot the appended claims.

That we claim is l. A barrel including a body portion comprising a plurality ot separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abutting relation, and means for detachably securing a section against lateral movements and for drawing the abutting edges of the sections into close contact and maintaining the same in such position, said means including a keeper member carried by one of said sections and provided with a segmental latchreceiving portion, and a cooperating latching member pivotally connected with an adjacent section and movable to engage the latch-receiving portion, said latching member being adapted to extend on opposite sides ot the keeper member when in engagement.

2. A barrel including a body portion comprising` a plurality of separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abut-ting relation, and means for detachably securing a section against lateral movements and :tor

drawing the abutting edges of the sections into close contact and maintaining the same in such position, said means including a keeper member carried by one section and provided with a segmental*latch-receiving slot, and a coperating latching member carried by an adjacent section and having a. latching` bolt adapted to be received by and retained in the slot et' the keeper member, said latching member being` adapted to extend on opposite sides of the keeper member when the latching bolt engaged.

3. A barrel including a body portion comprising a plurality ot separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abutting relation, and means for detachably securing a sect-ion against lateral movements and for drawing the abutting edges of the sections into close contact and maintaining the same in such position, said means Aincluding a keeper member attached to one section and having an ott-set end provided with a latchreceiving portion, a latching member carried by an adjacent section and also having an oH-set end, and a latch carried by the last said olii-set end and adapted vto be moved into and retained by the latch-receiving portion ot' the keeper member, said latching member extending on opposite sides of the keeper member when the latch is positioned in the keeper member.

el. A barrel including a body portion comprising a plurality ot separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abuttingrelation, and means for detacliably securing the sections together against relative movement and tor drawing the abutting edges ot' the sections into close contact and maintaining the same in such position, said means including a strap-like member attached te one section and provided with a latch-receiving port-ion, and a second strap-like member attached to an adjacent section and provided with a pivoted latch adapted to be swung into engagement with and held by the latchreceiving port-ion ot the tirst mentioned strap-like member, said strap-like members having inter-engaging ends.

5. A barrel including a body portion comprising a plurality of separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abutting relation, and means for detachably securing a section against lateral movements and for drawing the abutting edges of the sections into close contact and maintaining the same in such position, said means including a strap-like member attached to one section and provided with an off-set end portion having a bolt receiving slot therein, and a second strap-like member attached to an adjacent section and having an ott-set end portion and a pair of spaced plates pivoted to said off-set end portion and carrying a locking bolt adapted to be moved into and retained in the slot of the irst mentioned strapdike member, said plates extending on opposite sides of the said latter member when thc bolt is in such slot.

6. A barrel. including a body portion comprising a plurality of separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abutting relation, and 'means for detaehably securing the sections together against relative move` Vment and for draiving the abutting edges of the sections into close Contact and 'maintaining the same in such position, said `means including a strap-like member attached to one section and provided ivith an oil-set end portion having a bolt receiving slot therein, and a second strap-like member attached to an adjacent section and having an oit-set end portion and a pair of spaced plates pivotcd to said olf-set end portion and carrying a locking bolt adapted to be moved into and retained in the slot of the first mentioned strap-like member, one of said strap-like members having a tongue adapted to fit in a notch formed in the other strap-like member to hold said strap-.like members against relative endivise movement.

7. A sectional barrel comprising a plurality of separable sections having edges adapted to be placed in abutting relation, and means carried by adjacent sections for detachably securing abutting edges together against relative movement, said means including members carried by the sections and having mating ends adapted to prevent relative endvvise movement of the edges, one otsaid members carrying a latching device engageable With the other section and extending over the opposite sides oi' said member mating ends when engaged topi-event relative transverse movements of the edges.

In testimony whereof ive affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

VVILLAM C. NOBLE. BLAKE lV. CORSN. Vit-nesses DAVID MEADE WHITE, L. A. WHITE.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o! Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

